Quiabentia
| Quiabentia | |
|---|---|
| File:Quiabentia verticillata.jpg | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily | Opuntioideae |
| Tribe | Cylindropuntieae |
| SubTribe | |
| Genus | Quiabentia |
| Species | |
| Notes | Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). The genus is accepted as distinct within Opuntioideae. |
Etymology
The name derives from "Quiabento", a vernacular term used in Brazil for plants of this genus.
Description
Quiabentia is a genus of shrubby to tree-like cacti with leafy, cylindrical stems.
- Habit: Shrubs (Q. zehntneri) or small trees (Q. verticillata), densely branched, often with verticillate branching.
- Stems: Cylindrical, succulent.
- Leaves: Fleshy, flattened, ovate to spatulate, persistent or seasonal.
- Areoles: Bearing glochids and numerous spines.
- Flowers: Diurnal, solitary, sessile, rotate; pink, red or pale; self-sterile.
- Fruits: Elongated, fleshy or dry.
- Seeds: Large, flattened, with a sclerotic aril.
Habitat
The genus grows in seasonally dry forests, shrublands, and rocky or sandy environments, including limestone outcrops and inselbergs. It is also found in the Brazilian caatinga.
Altitude range: from sea level up to about 2200 m.
Distribution
- South America:
Argentina (Chaco, Formosa, Jujuy, Salta), Bolivia (Cochabamba, Chuquisaca, Santa Cruz, Tarija), Brazil (Bahia, Minas Gerais), Paraguay (Alto Paraguay, Boquerón, Presidente Hayes)
Taxonomy
The genus Quiabentia was established by Britton & Rose (1923).
It is closely related to Pereskiopsis and belongs to a clade of cacti with cylindrical stems within Opuntioideae, including Austrocylindropuntia, Corynopuntia, Grusonia, Micropuntia, and Tephrocactus.
Although superficially similar to Pereskia, its placement within Opuntioideae is supported by the presence of glochids and seed structure.
Molecular studies (Griffith & Porter 2009) confirm its distinct phylogenetic position.
Species
Following the classification of Joël Lodé (2015).
Notes
- The genus contains only two species with a strong geographic disjunction.
- Quiabentia verticillata occurs in southern regions, while Q. zehntneri is restricted to eastern Brazil.
- Seed dispersal may involve large mammals such as tapirs.
